In the final day of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected multiple players that had admiration for Boston-area teams and athletes despite being from other parts of the country.
Sixth-round pick Sam Roberts, a Missouri native who attended Northwest Missouri State, grew up a Patriots fan. The defensive tackle said he was also a Tom Brady fan and looked up to Vince Wilfork growing up.
The Patriots’ other sixth-round pick, LSU offensive guard Chasen Hines, looked up to an athlete that played for another Boston team. Up until he was in high school, Hines’s primary sport was baseball, and he hoped he’d reach the major leagues someday.